Adjustable guide arm



Dec. 25, 1951 H P 2,579,923

ADJUSTABLE GUIDE ARM Filed Sept. 20, 1949 f It .1-

.flmp aefi INVENTOR I I BY I l a ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 25, 19513,579,933. ADJUSTABLE Gums ARIYI- Samuel E. Ilopper, .Qrafton, PaApplication September 20, 1-949, Serial No nasty; 1 Claim. (01. 51

This invention relates to a guide arm, for flush valves, and representsan improvement over the guide arm described and claimed in my previousPatent No 1,975,607.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a guide armwhich will attach itself more firmly to the flush tube.

Another important object is to provide a means on the guide arm forpreventing relative rotation between the gripping members duringtightening of the connecting screw extending therebetween.

Another important object is to provide an improved guide arm which willbe simpler with respect to the manufacture thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a view of the improved guide armpartly in vertical section and partly in side elevation as it appearswhen mounted in a flush tank.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the uide arm.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 5- of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through a modified form.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 5 is a conventional overflow tubefound in an ordinary flush tank, this extending upwardly from theconventional flush tank base 6 on which seats the tank ball 8 secured tothe lower end of the rod 1 connected to the rod 9 extending from theconventional trip lever mechanism, not shown, chain, or other actuatingmeans.

The parts so far described do not constitute part of the presentinvention, these being simply conventional parts such as found in anyregularly constructed flush tank.

In accordance with the present invention, the guide arm includes a bodyportion Ill having an enlarged upper end ll providing a boss in which isformed the smooth walled opening l2 through which extends the screw it,said enlarged upper end or boss being formed with the forwardly extendedears i l for a purpose to become apparent hereinafter. The inner surfaceof the body portion It, at the upper end of the body portion between theears i4, is offset outwardly as at IE to provide a fulcrum or .pivot on,which rocks the gripping member 16, that cooperates, w thithe body,portion. J0 in gripping the, wall of a flush tube etherebetween. Asmaylbe noted :Fi l. theupnereudspf 2.15 and thebodyport n, l8 proje tabate. the 1 1919.31 end of the flush tube, and said upper end of thegripping member I6 pivots upon the offset 15 of the body portion 1 0.Immediately below the upper end, the gripping member I6 is formed withthe threaded opening I! in which threads the screw 13.

Formed integrally with the body portion 16 at the lower end thereof isthe obliquely extended arm I8 terminating in the enlargement 19 formedwith the opening 29 in which the rod 1 is loosely slidable, thusproviding a guide for said rod 1.

It may now be noted that to apply the guide arm of the invention to aconventional flush tube 5, it is necessary only that one loosen thescrew l3 slightly, whereupon the body portion It and the gripping memberIt can be slipped over the upper end of the flush tube wall. Downwardmovement of said body portion and gripping member is limited by thescrew [3 which will engage the upper end of the wall of the flush tube.

Thereafter, it is necessary only that the screw l3 be tightened. As thescrew i3 is tightened, the gripping member I6 is caused to pivot uponthe offset I5, causing the tube-engaging portions of the inner surfacesof the body portion and gripping member It to tightly clamp the tubewall therebetween. In this connection, it will be understood that theopening 12 of the body portion It) should be formed to a slightly largerdiameter than the diameter of the screw l3, so that there can berelative pivotal movement between the body portion and the grippingmember l6.

When the screw l3 has been turned home to its maximum extent, the flushtube wall will be tightly gripped between the portions of the device. Inthis connection, it has been found in practice that the flush tube wallwill be gripped by practically the entire surface areas of the bodyportion I0 and gripping member I6 that are disposed below the screw l3.This is distinguished from the guide arm set forth in the above-mentioned patent, wherein there is a central fulcrum, causing only thelowermost end of the gripping member to have contact with the tube wall.

The invention further eliminates the necessity of a rivet, and othermore or less costly features of the previous device set forth in thepatent.

With respect to the ears [4 above-mentioned,

3 it may be noted that these ears straddle the gripping member l6, andprevent relative rotation between the gripping member l6 and the bodyportion In when the screw I3 is being tightened.

Referring to Fig. 5, I have here illustrated a modified form wherein agripping member 2| is formed adjacent its upper end with a recess 22.Adjacent the upper end of a body portion 23, there is formed on theinner face of said body portion a lug 24 adapted to extend into therecess 22. In this connection, the lug 24 is greater in length than thedepth of the recess, and additionally, the recess is slightly greater indiameter than the diameter of the lug. As a result, the body portion 23pivots upon the lug 24 during the tightening of the screw l3 for thepurpose of clamping the members 2!, 23 to the wall of the flush tube 5.At the same time, the lug 24 engaging in the recess 22 prevents relativerotatable movement between the members 2i and 23.

What is claimed is:

A flush valve guide member comprising an elongated body having a concavelongitudinally extending overflow pipe-engaging seat on one sidethereof, a downwardly and outwardly extending arm carried by the bodyadjacent the lower end and on the side thereof remote from the pipeseat, a flush valve guide carried by the arm remote from the body, a lugcarried by the body adjacent the end thereof remote from the arm, saidlug projecting laterally from the side of the body having the seat andforming a fulcrum above the seat, a gripping member hearing on the lug,a convex longitudinally extending overflow pipe-engaging surface on thegripping member and a clamp screw extending through the body between thelug and the arm and threaded into the gripping member for rocking saidgripping member on said lug and drawing it against an overflow pipeengaged by the seat.

SAMUEL E. HOPPER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hopper Oct. 2, 1934Number

